Once Maria laid Billy down and started cleaning his wound, the pirates in their town had all but ransacked everything they could get their hands on. From their view, Maria and Annie could see scattered fires and seas of broken glass and crumbled wood. Nothing appeared fatal or irreparable, but the damage remained.
Annie patted Billy's head with a cool cloth while Maria continued to gaze out the window. In the distance, a darkened outline of a tattered ship sat beyond the shore. Surrounding it were dots of what could be assumed to be lifeboats filled with bloodthirsty mongrels. It went on for hours and they were met with the rising sun of a new day.
She could not see Dominick among them. Her anxiety grew the longer she waited, unable to spot him in the ever falling and rising chaos. When the pirates did flee, unsatisfied with their empty efforts, Maria watched the guards return. They were exhausted, dirtied, battered, sweaty.
From behind her, Maria heard Billy moan with pain. A shot such as that would not kill him, but there was little that could be done to make him comfortable. And neither of the women were going to go digging around to fish out the bullet.
Maria glanced over, sighing as Annie struggled to stay awake. Maria felt her eyes weighing down her head, her eyelids unable to remain open. Her sole motivation for not giving in was in the hope Dominick would be home before too long. When she looked to her hands, she was surprised to find them shaking.
Nervous? Worried? Yes, that must have been it. Maria could feel tears stinging her eyes as she waited longer yet for Dominick to come home. Was he hurt? In pain? Was he safe? Endless question after question swarming her head and no answer came for one hour more.
At last, she saw him. bent over his colt and filthy, he trotted up the path to the entrance of the palace. Vincent was there to meet him, escorting him inside as one of the guards tended to the colt. Maria near bolted out of the room, but was stopped by Annie.
"Your Majesty, wait," she cried.
"What is it, Annie?"
"Perhaps you should wait here for a moment. I would very much not like to be alone with this, uh, individual."
"Sure you can't handle yourself for a couple minutes?" Maria whined, bouncing up and down to help quell her worry.
Annie shook her head. "I would prefer not."
"Ugh, fine. In that case, go meet with Vincent at the entrance. Bring Dominick here, if you can. I…I want to see him." She said the last few words in such a whisper that Annie had almost missed them.
With a smile, Annie stood and bowed. "Of course, my lady." She ran from the room as Maria replaced her in the chair beside Billy.
Taking over bedside duty, Maria dipped the cloth into the lukewarm water and kept it pressed against the wound. It had since stopped bleeding, but they had yet to break away to grab proper bandages. It was the least they could do to keep it from getting infected.
As the rag hit his skin again, Billy gasped and looked to Maria. "Where'd the other one go?"
"Don't sound so disappointed. Am I not good enough company for you?"
"A better sight to see, I will admit, but a surprise, nonetheless." He peered to his wound where Maria's hand rested. "You've been tending to me all night?"
"Not me. I've been more worried about other things."
"Such as?"
"Well, your delightful friends decided to pay my kingdom a visit and cause some widespread panic. Nothing too unusual." Maria's voice dipped into a tone of accusation and anger. "What were they looking for?"
"Whatever do you mean?" Billy sighed.
"You knew them, obviously. They came for you. Why?"
"I thought you already knew why."
"Something about you and the so-called Treasure Island. I would think you a liar if I had not witnessed an attempted taking of your life. That said, what were they hoping to find that would still be useful upon your death?"
"Ah, a curious one, aren't you? Yes, yes, they were trying to take something from me. Something important."
"Like what?"
"Oh, you don't know? It's not like you weren't pawing at it one morning ago."
Billy reached into the pocket of his jacket that had been laid beside him. From it, he produced a flimsy sheet of paper. Crumbled, wrinkled, old as time. He handed it to Maria, motioning for her to unfold it.
When she did, she saw the sketch of an island surrounded by childish doodles of monsters and sea creatures. In the corner was a sloppy design of some kind of constellation. Cutting through the island was a dotted path with various doodles around it. This path was marked with dark colors for emphasis, much in contrast to the other paths surrounding it.
The dots were evenly spaced out. Could have signified paces, but Maria was unsure. And after a certain number of "paces", pictures were drawn around them. A narrow path for ten, a half circle to the left for forty, a veil of leaves that show the path straying away from it. Thirteen paces over a fallen trunk and through a grey wall. Stay straight until done, reaching the end of the path.
That dotted path ended at an empty, most western corner surrounded by nothing, with that nothing surrounded by a black circle.
A thick, red X marked a particular area below a black spot with a red dot in the middle. She couldn't tell if that was on purpose or not. Maria's eyes followed the line from the X to the edge of the island where a subtle opening led to a barrier of boulders.
Maria shifted her gaze to Billy. He was grinning, waiting for her to come to her own conclusion. When he wouldn't say anything to confirm nor disprove her suspicions, she continued to study the map. Wait…map. It clicked at last that she was staring at a map.
Maria shot to her feet and studied it closer. The ocean surrounding the island held little indication as to an exact location, but the island itself was detailed and intricate. The aforementioned barrier of boulders, then beaches outlined by a thick layer of foliage.
The bold path stuck out like a full moon in a blackened sky. Getting to the X would have been simpler if one circled around to the exact location rather than travelling on foot, but that read more as a trap to Maria than an easy shortcut.
"This is Treasure Island, isn't it?" she mumbled under her breath.
Billy smiled. "There you go."
"This is the map. The map of Treasure Island," she cried with excitement. "It's real? This place is real?"
"You really think I was shot over a fantasy, don't you?" Billy rolled his eyes. "I'm offended."
Maria threw herself back onto the chair and leaned in close to his face. His stench shocked her, causing her eyes to water. Maria's expression was beaming regardless.
"They were after this, weren't they? You stole this from them."
"I stole nothing," he shouted. "The map was entrusted to me by Flint himself."
"Just you? Surely, the others know where to find the treasure on their own."
"You really think Flint would trust an entire crew with the whereabouts of his treasure? The culmination of thirty years of looting left in the care of forty equally greedy and selfish brigands?"
"Okay, fair enough. But even with this map, would Flint leave his stash unguarded? Easy to find and loot, if you ask me."
"You don't think things through too often, do you?" Billy chuckled.
From his neck, Maria watched him produce an amulet. An odd shape. A rusted cutlass handle with weaving and intersected vines as a design. In the center was a single gem of deep, murky red. Streaming through and around it were thin lines of gold, like a glowing stream within a blood moon.
Billy placed the amulet in Maria's hand. Despite a modest size, it was heavy. She adjusted her hand to hold the object with minimal difficulty. She rolled it in her palm, observing every detail she could and allowing herself to sink into its otherworldly beauty.
"This was the key Flint used until his dying breath," Billy explained.
"The key?" Maria questioned.
"You'd understand if you went there yourself."
"Why are you telling me all of this?"
Before Billy could answer, the doors to the room opened. Dominick, attempting to run, limped inside. His eyes softened as they landed on Maria. He was so tired, bags under his eyes, hair an absolute mess, and dirt covered him from head to toe.
Without thinking, Maria leapt up and rushed him, crashing into him while wrapping her arms around his body. Dominick's eyes grew wide, his arms hovering on either side of him as he failed to react to the sudden gesture. After several seconds, he embraced his sister, resting his head atop of hers.
"I'm okay, Maria. I'm okay."
"You were gone longer than I would have liked," she muttered.
"Now you know what it feels like." Dominick's eyes peered over to Billy, who waved and gave a side grin. "And who is that?" Dominick's voice became hostile, giving a pure indication of suspicion toward Billy.
Maria followed his gaze and backed away. "This is Billy. He was injured in the initial attack."
"Ah, your friend from last night. He wouldn't happen to know anything, would he?"
"What do you want to know?" Billy exclaimed, sitting up and chuckling. "I bet I could answer a few questions."
"You bear a striking resemblance to our destructive friends. Should I assume that you are, in fact, one of them?"
Billy snickered. When he smiled, his horrid teeth were displayed for all to see. "And if I, for whatever reason, confirmed your accusations, what would you do about it?"
Dominick produced a pistol, no hesitation, and aimed it at Billy. "I don't welcome pirates in my kingdom. And seeing as you're the reason my home was attacked at all, I might as well eliminate the threat."
"Wait," Maria cried, putting herself between Dominick and Billy. "He's a friend."
"A friend?" Dominick spat at her. "If I had known you were cozying up with scum like him, I would have locked you in your room years ago."
"Dominick, he's not here to hurt us. He was running away from them."
"Why? Was he too greedy, robbed them blind, and tried to use my people as human shields?"
"That was not my intention," Billy claimed.
"I would believe that if I wasn't coming back from saving families from their burning homes." Dominick stormed to Billy's side, pistol hovering over his heart. "You have three seconds to explain why I shouldn't throw you back to them."
"Dominick, hold on." Maria pulled him back by the shirt and returned to blocking his view of Billy. "He can help us."
"Help us? In what way? He's one of them."
"Look at this." Maria showed Dominick both the map and crimson amulet.
Hesitant, he snatched it from her hands and examined both. First, he skimmed over the map, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"What is this?" he mumbled.
"A map."
"I can see that. For what?"
"Um…" Maria hesitated.
As she realized what she was going to say, she knew it could go one of two ways. Accepting this, she smiled and giggled.
"Okay, you need to hear me out, Dominick. And you're not allowed to think I'm stupid."
"You're more so treading the line of irritating," he warned. "What is this a map for?"
And under her breath, she answered, "Treasure Island."
Silence. Dominick stared at his still smiling and nervous sister with a blank expression. Multiple times, he blinked, each one slower than the last. Nothing from his expression gave away his thoughts.
Maria felt her heart climbing up her throat, making it near impossible to breathe. She started to fear that any sound or any attempt to speak would set him off. Standing behind Dominick were Annie and Vincent, and they were no more convinced than him.
In a flash, Dominick pointed his pistol at Billy and cocked it. Maria pushed it up to the ceiling and stole back the map and amulet.
"Can you wait a moment?" she shouted.
"You really expect me to believe this is an actual map of some fictional island?" Dominick snapped. "Treasure Island isn't real."
"I would agree if not for the pirates attacking our home and the injured cesspool lying in our guest bed. No offense," Maria said to Billy. "There has to be some truth to this, there has to be."
"Truth? You can't be serious, Maria."
"If I may," Billy interjected. Dominick glared at him as he sat up, "I can assure you that the island is no piece of fiction. I've seen it myself."
"Am I safe to assume you were drunk off your arse at the time?"
"I was as sober as any man could hope to be when stepping upon the shores of the greatest trove in the world."
"So, not at all?"
"Listen, Your Highness, you can believe whatever you wish, but know this. The island exists and I do believe you have a little sister who might be interested."
"Her interest stops here." Dominick turned to Vincent and Annie. "Clean whatever wounds he has left and get him out of here. I can't deal with him right now."
As he stormed out, Maria called after him, "Where are you going?"
"Unlike you, I have some things to attend to. Now, if you'll excuse me." He slammed the door behind him.
Maria turned back to Billy, rushing to his bedside. "Answer me something, and be honest."
"Yes?"
"Why did you tell me any of this? What did you stand to gain?"
He smiled. "You saw those ne'er-do-wells attack me, all for this rotting sheet of paper I've since memorized."
"Then why not destroy it?"
"Would you destroy the sole reminder of a life you always dreamed of?"
Maria sighed. "I guess I still don't understand. If this is, in fact, real, an island with a hidden trove, could one still find it?"
"My old shipmates sure think so," Billy chuckled. "And I think you could too."
"Me? I have no reason to go to this place outside of pure selfish accomplishment."
"I wouldn't say that."
Maria narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"An island of treasure in the middle of nowhere? A kingdom in shambles? Seems like an easy solution, if you ask me."
Then, Maria's mouth dropped open, her eyes expanding to unreasonable size, and she gasped. "Oh, my gosh." She took both the map and amulet and ran after Dominick, leaving Billy alone with Vincent and Annie.
Satisfied, Billy fell back onto his pillow and sighed. "Took her long enough."
Vincent turned to Annie and whispered, "I would appreciate a moment alone, if I may."
Annie's eyes darted between him and Billy. With no reason to object, she bowed and said, "Very well."
After she left, Vincent sat beside Billy and scoffed. "Where have you been?" he hissed.
"I think you know where I've been, dear friend."
"Drop the act," Vincent demanded. "I know actively watching your speech for a young lady must be tiring."
Billy raised his brow, apparent confusion dominating his expression. Then, he broke into fiery laughter, his stomach bouncing as each chuckle contorted his body.
"Aye, she be a lady mine eyes have long hungered for. Plucky, a lighted sprite. A lady she be, but delicate like none other."
"There you are." Vincent huffed, trying to keep his calm in the face of a man he had wished death upon for many years. "Thirteen years and not a word."
"Aye, I find you be wrong, ye withered bag. I tried many a time to reach your shores. Alas, it seems I was unsuccessful."
Vincent glared at him. "You were commissioned to find the treasure and return with it. You were given an entire crew to do so."
"And I did the former. All was well 'til it sank into the ocean depths. How I survived, I'll never know."
"But you never returned. Do you not understand what has transpired in your absence?"
Billy rolled his eyes and leaned close to Vincent's face. His voice was deep, threatening.
"The king should have thought of that when he didn't listen to a word I said. I told him it was too dangerous, and now you're down a fine crew and ship to prove it. Being hunted is not much fun, you see."
Vincent gulped. "Why are you here, then? To apologize?"
"A naïve assumption, if ever there be one. Even after getting to the treasure, stealing from Flint was a gamble with death I would not win. Stupid, sir, is the phrase most would use in this here scenario."
"Your point would have meant more if you had returned and told us any of this."
"I barely escaped with me life with what little treasure I did grab," he shouted. "Those rotting blighters destroyed everything I had and killed me crew."
Billy shifted with discomfort, not wanting to remember that event. Like a nightmare he could never unsee.
"If ye wanted yer grand solution merely handed to ya, then ye should have had the king find it himself. Oh, but wait, he ran off before he could, leaving behind two youngins with twice the spine he had."
"I hold the regret of the king's decision upon my shoulders," Vincent admitted. "His children have suffered greatly because of it. But that does not answer why you decided to come back now."
Billy shrugged, smirking all the while. "Yer port bein' my destination was mere luck. I stumbled back upon these shores for me own sake. But I admit, I find the king's wee lass a delightful sort. The drunken wonder in her eyes reminded me a bit of meself."
"In other words, you want to pass the danger of exploration onto someone else. And who better than the cowardly king's children?"
"Then, allow me to rephrase yer claim. In me heart of hearts, I believe there is a soul among us who can do what I could not. No one would be lookin' for her. She'd be safer than I in those waters."
"Oh, you want the princess to run off too? Is that it?" Vincent snapped, turning away in disgust.
"If that's what ya wish to believe, then I shan't stop ye. AI did all I could. Yer princess has shown me a greater pain than I ever suffered. Pulls at these ol' tattered strings in me heart. And for that, consider this me official return to report me findins'."
Vincent turned to exit. As his hand laid on the handle of the door, he sighed with frustration and looked back to Billy with a stern and threatening gaze.
"You are to mention none of this to the prince or princess," he demanded. "I will take care of that myself."
"Ooh, can ye do me the honor and have the discussion here?" Billy teased. "I can only imagine how they would react in knowin' why their daddy turned his back 'em."
"You have been granted enough pleasantries, Mr. Bones. The last one that shall be spared to you is your life. So long as you leave by nightfall and vanish for good, that much will remain yours."
Billy laughed, his voice echoing in the room. "That was the plan, my dear valet."
With a grunt, Vincent disappeared from the room, slamming the door, and leaving Billy alone. In his solitude, Billy hummed, smiling to himself. His hums grew into a muttered singing. From there, he was belting his voice like a bellowing horn among a mighty ship.
"But one man of her crew alive, what put to sea with seventy-five. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum."